Author: Emily Martin

Kazuo Ishiguro Receives Oscar Nomination for Living

Nobel prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro has received an Oscar nomination for his adapted screenplay for the film Living. Ishiguro is now the third winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature to also earn an Oscar nomination. The first was George Bernard Shaw and the second was Bob Dylan. Ishiguro won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2017.

Egyptians Offered Loans to Buy Books as Inflation Soars

With book prices more than doubling, the Egyptian Publishers Association have announced that customers can now pay for a book over the course of nine months, paying 1.5% interest. Egyptian authors are hoping the initiative will help boost flagging sales. Recently, many authors in Egypt have drastically changed their stories and/or cut down on characters and descriptions to be more economical in their writing. “My book’s been downsized, slimmed down to just 60 pages from around 100, because of the rising printing costs,” author Dina Afifi, who writes popular fiction for teens, told BBC. Even so, readers are often turning to counterfeit books that are sold at stalls on the streets for prices ranging between 50 and 100 Egyptian pounds. The government says it’s doing what it can to bring down prices.

Florida Teachers Forced to Remove or Cover Up Books to Avoid Felony Charges

Following a recent Florida law that prohibits material unless deemed appropriate by a librarian, or “certified media specialist,” school teachers in Manatee county have been forced to remove books from their classrooms or physically covering them up. In order to determine if the books meet the guidelines of the new Florida law, known as HB 1467, certified media specialists must undergo an online training developed by Florida’s department of education. But with only a few media specialists available, the vetting process is taking a long time. Meanwhile, teachers are condemning the new guidelines.

The Manatee Education Association union president, Pat Barber, told local TV station Fox 13, “We have people who have spent their entire careers building their classroom libraries based on their professional and educational experience and understanding of the age of the children they teach…Now, their professional judgment and training are being substituted for the opinion of anyone who wishes to review and challenge the books. We’re focused on things that cause teachers to want to walk away from education because they can’t focus on their mission of educating children.”

Want to fight censorship and book bans? Check out this toolkit to getting started.

10 of the Weirdest Moments from Prince Harry’s Memoir

These ten moments from Spare are among the weirdest in this bestselling and highly anticipated memoir from Prince Harry.

Meena Harris’ Phenomenal Media to Launch Book Imprint

Phenomenal Media, a company launched by Kamala Harris’ niece Meena Harris to celebrate underrepresented women, is launching a new book imprint in partnership with Hachette Books. “In the first four years of our business, people really came to know and love us as an apparel brand. But the truth is that we’ve never seen ourselves as an apparel brand,” Harris said in an interview with Fast Company. “We are, and have always been building towards 360-degree media company—and one that is inspired and driven by our mission, which is to center women and historically excluded communities.” Harris noted that the publishing industry is still predominantly white, and the goal of Phenomenal Media’s new imprint is to be a part of changing that.

Tressie McMillan Cottom Wins 2023 Gittler Prize

Author Tressie McMillan Cottom has been selected as the 2023 winner of the Joseph B. and Toby Gittler Prize by Brandeis University. “Through her work as a leading academic, sociologist, and writer, Tressie McMillan Cottom brings critical perspective and analysis to some of the greatest social challenges we face today,” said Brandeis University President Ron Liebowitz. “I look forward to welcoming her to campus to engage with our community.” The annual Joseph B. and Toby Gittler Prize, which was created in 2007 to recognize outstanding and lasting scholarly contributions to racial, ethnic and/or religious relations, includes a $25,000 prize and a medal.

First UK Festival for East and South-East Asian Writing Announced

The bookshop Foyles, in partnership with the ESEA Publishing Network, is launching a new festival celebrating writers from east and south-east Asia. The ESEA Lit Fest is thought to be the first festival in the UK focused on writers from this region. The festival will take place at Foyles’ flagship store on Charing Cross Road in London on September 23, 2023, during ESEA Heritage Month.

How Easy is it to Pirate Books?

Ebook piracy has long been a problem of publishing. How easy it is to pirate ebooks these days? And how do book thieves do it?

“Weird Al” Yankovic Songs Get Animated in New Graphic Novel The Illustrated Al

Z2 Comics is releasing a career-spanning anthology of the comedian “Weird Al” Yankovic’s songs as rendered by cartoonists and illustrators. The graphic novel, The Illustrated Al: The Songs of “Weird Al” Yankovic is now available to order and features more than 20 songs interpreted by artists including Bill Plympton, Michael Kupperman, Felipe Sobreiro, Fred Harper, Jeff McClelland, Hilary Barta, and Bob Fingerman, among many others. In conjunction with the release of the graphic novel, Yankovic has released a full-length animated music video for his song “Your Horoscope for Today,” which is a collaboration between the musician and artist Aaron Augenblick, who also illustrated the “Your Horoscope for Today” chapter of the anthology.

Little Free Library Launches Indigenous Library Program

Little Free Library’s latest initiative to provide access to books to underserved communities is the Indigenous Library Program. The program, which launches this spring, provides book-sharing boxes for installation on tribal lands, as well as in other Indigenous communities throughout the U.S. and in Canada. Boxes will be shipped at no cost to volunteer stewards and will come with two starter sets of books — 25 books by BIPOC authors and 25 featuring Indigenous content. After the initial set of books, stewards will be responsible for keeping the boxes stocked. People and organizations living in or serving Indigenous communities may apply to receive the boxes.

Read an Excerpt from Stephen King’s Holly

Stephen King’s beloved character Holly Gibney is returning for a new novel Holly, in which the private detective solves the mystery behind multiple disappearances in a Midwestern town. You can read an exclusive excerpt and see the cover reveal from Entertainment Weekly. Holly is hitting shelves on September 5, but the book is available for preorder now.

When Did YA Paperback Books Become $15.99?

Harper Collins hiked the price of their YA paperback books upwards of 25% this year. Is this happening in other publishers, too?

New Children’s Book What’s An Abortion Anyway? Offers Affirming Story of Pregnancy Decisions

What’s An Abortion Anyway?, written by Carly Manes and illustrated by Mar is a new, medically accurate, nonjudgmental, and gender-inclusive picture book for kids and families about abortion. According to Manes, getting the book out in the world was no easy feat. Manes said, “I shopped the book around to different small feminist publishers and book agents for over three years, with no traction.” But literary agents, publishers, and even progressive small presses thought a children’s book about abortions was taking things too far. So in early 2020, Manes decided to publish the book herself. “I was just done trying to convince other people that this book was worthwhile,” Manes explained. “I wasn’t going to let their cowardice dictate how and when our kids learn about abortion.” You can now order the book, in English or in Spanish, directly from the website.

Wanope Joker Manga to End with Next Chapter

In this year’s eighth issue of Kodansha’s Morning magazine, it was announced that Satoshi Miyakawa and Keisuke Gotō’s Wanope Joker (Joker: The One-Man Operation) manga will end with its next chapter. The manga was originally launched in Morning in January 2021 as part of a collaboration between Morning and DC Comics. The manga follows the story of Joker adopting Batman after the superhero is turned into a baby. Joker aims to turn his nemesis into a second Clown Prince of Crime. The manga’s final chapter will not appear in the magazine’s next issue, as the manga is irregularly serialized.

Captain America: New World Order Casts Xosha Roquemore in Key Role

Xosha Roquemore is the most recent addition to the ensemble cast of Marvel’s Captain America: New World Order, starring Anthony Mackie. Tim Blake Nelson, Harrison Ford, Danny Ramirez, Carl Lumbly and Shira Haas have also been previously announced. The next chapter in the Captain America universe will be directed by Julius Onah, with Falcon and the Winter Soldier showrunner Malcolm Spellman writing the script along with Dalan Musson. The film is scheduled to release on May 3, 2024.

What Book Should I Read?

Wondering what book should I read? We’ve got your answers, stocked with new-to-you titles and reads for the new year.

Gossip Girl Revival Canceled at HBO Max

HBO Max has canceled its Gossip Girl revival after two seasons. The original Gossip Girl series was based on the Gossip Girl young adult novels by Cecily von Ziegesar. HBO Max’s new series followed a new generation in a continuation of the story. Showrunner Josh Safran said in a statement, “So here’s the goss: it is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce Gossip Girl will not be continuing on HBO Max…This was honestly the greatest set I ever worked on, top to bottom. We are currently looking for another home, but in this climate, that might prove an uphill battle, and so if this is the end, at least we went out on the highest of highs. Thank you all for watching, and I hope you’ll tune into the finale next Thursday to see how it all comes together. xoxo” The final episode of Gossip Girl, titled “I Am Gossip,” will air on January 26th.

New Training Tells Florida School Librarians Which Books Are Off-Limits

School librarians in Florida will now be required to undergo training on which books are off-limits for school and classroom libraries. This training complies with a state law passed last year. According to the new training, librarians are prohibited from using any instructional materials that include critical race theory, culturally responsive teaching, social-emotional learning, social justice, “and any other unsolicited theories that may lead to student indoctrination.” Librarians will also be required to seek input from parents before buying books. The training also says librarians should be prepared to defend their choices of instructional material. According to the training, “the responsibility of the content of instructional materials lies with those that choose the materials. Parents that are challenging or objecting to materials should not have to prove that those materials are objectionable.”

Movie Adaptation of Comic Cult of Dracula Currently in the Works

A film adaptation of the comic series Cult of Dracula is currently in the works. BR Films, the production team behind Dope Boy Magic, Monogamish, Crossover, and The Last Call, has purchased the film production rights and the project was put into immediate development. Cult of Dracula is written by Rich Davis with illustrations by Henry Martinez.

The Bookish Life of Shonda Rhimes

Whether you know it or not, you’ve likely interacted with the creative work of Shonda Rhimes. Here’s a look at her bookish repertoire.

Outlander to End with Season 8 on Starz

After its 8th season on Starz, Outlander will be coming to an end. This news comes before the planned summer release of Outlander‘s 7th season. The forthcoming 7th season will be 16 episodes long. Outlander‘s final season will run for 10 episodes. “For nearly a decade Outlander has won the hearts of audiences worldwide and we’re pleased to bring Claire and Jamie’s epic love story to a proper conclusion,” said Kathryn Busby, president original programming at Starz. Outlander will end as the longest-running original in Starz history.

Emma Straub Visit Canceled by Katy ISD After Author Curses Online

Katy ISD has canceled plans to host Emma Straub’s visit to two elementary schools after discovering her use of “foul language” on social media. The New York Times bestselling novelist was scheduled to read her first children’s picture book Very Good Hats to Kindergarten and first grade students at Robertson and Cimarron Elementary schools on January 13th. But the district chose to rescind its invitation the day before the event due to complaints from parents about Straub’s of the “F word” on social media. An email from administrators sent to parents and staff read, “It has been brought to our attention that this author has regularly used inappropriate and foul language on her social media platforms…This type of language, as you know, does not align with our school and community’s values.” 

Nikki M. James Joins Disney+’s Upcoming Marvel Series Daredevil: Born Again

Tony Winner and The Book of Mormon star Nikki M. James has been cast in Disney+‘s upcoming Marvel series, Daredevil: Born Again. The series will also see Carlie Cox return to the role of Daredevil, aka lawyer Matt Murdock. Vincent D’Onofrio will also return to play villain Kingpin, aka Wilson Fisk. Margarita Levieva, Michael Gandolfini and Sandrine Holt are also starring. The series will be written by Matt Corman and Chris Ord.

10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Thesaurus

How much do you know about the book where you can look up synonyms? Here are 10 things you didn’t know about the thesaurus.

MWA Announces 2023 Edgar Award Nominations

Mystery Writers of America have announced the nominees for the 2023 Edgar Allan Poe Awards, honoring the best in mystery fiction, nonfiction and television published or produced in 2022. The nominees for best novel are: Devil House by John Darnielle; Like A Sister by Kellye Garrett; Gangland by Chuck Hogan; The Devil Takes You Home by Gabino Iglesias; Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka; and The Maid by Nita Prose. You can see the full list of nominees across all categories here. The winners will be announced at the 77^th Annual Edgar® Awards on April 27, 2023, at the New York Marriott Marquis Times Square.

Stephen Colbert Adapting Roger Zelazny’s The Chronicles of Amber

Stephen Colbert’s production company Spartina is developing Roger Zelazny’s beloved The Chronicles of Amber into a drama series. The production company is working in partnership with Skybound Entertainment and Vincent Newman Entertainment. The Chronicles of Amber is famously one of fantasy author George R.R. Martin’s favorite fantasy series. Colbert said, “George R.R. Martin and I have similar dreams. I’ve carried the story of Corwin in my head for over 40 years, and I’m thrilled to partner with Skybound and Vincent Newman to bring these worlds to life. All roads lead to Amber, and I’m happy to be walking them.”

Night of the Living Queers is a New YA Horror Anthology Coming Soon

Here’s the cover reveal of the upcoming YA horror anthology Night of the Living Queers. The anthology features 13 new stories from queer authors of color. Contributors include editors Alex Brown and Shelly Page, Kalynn Bayron, Ryan Douglass, Sara Farizan, Maya Gittelman, Kosoko Jackson, Em Liu, Vanessa Montalban, Ayida Shonibar, Tara Sim, Trang Thanh Tran, and Rebecca Kim Wells. Night of the Living Queers is out from Wednesday Books on August 29, 2023.

Read an Excerpt from Grady Hendrix’s How to Sell A Haunted House

Read an excerpt from How to Sell A Haunted House, out from Berkley Books this week!

Parks and Rec Star Retta to Lead Crime Drama Murder by the Book

Good Girls and Parks and Rec star Rhetta is heading back to NBC for new bookish crime drama series Murder by the Book. The series will follow a Instagram book reviewer who takes a page from the mystery novels she reviews to uncover the shocking truths about an eccentric seaside town. Jenna Bans and Bill Krebs are writers and executive producers on the project. Casey Kyber is an executive producer.

Channing Tatum and Roxane Gay are Writing a Romance Novel Together

In an interview with Vanity Fair, actor Channing Tatum revealed that he is working on a romance novel with writer and social commentator Roxane Gay. Tatum says the two befriended each other after Gay wrote about wanting to “hug every part of him with my mouth” online. Tatum told Vanity Fair, “She has almost a roughed-out outline of a story that we both love…We just got to find time to do it. She’s the busiest, she’s way busier than I am.” Gay later confirmed the news on Twitter.

Hong Kong Police Arrest Six for Selling “Seditious” Book at Lunar New Year Fair

Just days before Lunar New Year celebrations, police in Hong Kong have raided a lunar new year shopping fair, arresting six people for selling a “seditious” book. The book is about a series of anti-government protests that occurred in Hong Kong from June 2019 to February 2020. Police say that the three men and three women that were arrested were “members of an anti-government organization” who are now being held in custody on suspicion of engaging in “acts with seditious intention.”

The Future of Libraries

Libraries have existed for 5,000 years, but what does their future look like in an ever-changing world. One writer explores.